The present invention relates to the problem of conveying pathological specimens in live condition to the place where they can be cultured and identified.
Most pathological micro-organisms are very sensitive to environmental conditions other than the place of infection, and they die quickly when removed therefrom. For the purpose of identification they must be subjected to moderate heat on a suitable nutrient medium to form cultures or colonies that can be identified by their characteristic form. At present they are collected at the source of infection with gassed-out swabs or tubes to be taken to the place of identification, but frequently they die during the transport before they reach the place of identification, and they are therefore no longer able to form colonies or cultures.
Many pathogenic micro-organisms die quickly when exposed to oxygen. These are called obligate anerobic micro-organisms. Others tolerate oxygen; these are called facultative anerobic organism or micro-aerophilic organisms, but often they require special nutrients to survive during transportation. Many are vulnerable to the life processes of other micro-organisms that are ever present in the air or in the nutrients on which they are supposed to thrive, and they have to be protected from the adverse effects of competitive micro-organisms. Thus, certain ever-present micro-organisms reproduce within 20 minutes and will kill obligate anerobic micro-organisms by over growth.